arry with him, and
they did not return till late at night.

On Monday morning she announced that she was going to work, and
demanded the money for the Nursery for Harry, which Jim had always
paid cheerfully, but now he only retorted that he had no more money,
and went angrily out, apparently heedless of her reply that if he did
not pay, Harry could stop at home. For a full minute Jim stood outside
on the landing, his hand in his pocket, irresolute. He was quite
unaware that the Nursery charge was fivepence for one child,
eightpence for two, and tenpence for three, and that Jane had pocketed
any benefit which arose from sending more than one. He had sixpence
to last him through Monday, but if he left fivepence of that for the
Nursery, he would have but one penny for beer!

Yesterday his heart had turned away from his temptation to the fair,
innocent little chap that he meant to be a father to, and he had
taken him out all day, and had never touched one drop of intoxicating
beverage, contenting himself, and very happily too, with iced lemonade
and soda water and coffee.

But this morning was different. The cruel trick of his mates rose up
in his mind and held him back from trying again. Then he had no coffee
ready for dinner, even if he meant to begin again, and it would not
hurt the boy to be left at home alone. Still he hesitated, conscious
that he was weighing two loves--the child's welfare; his own desire.

And his own desire conquered.

He went quietly downstairs and out to his work, and Jane dressed the
baby and Maud, and took them down to her obliging neighbour.

"Take these two down to the Nursery for me," she said, "I've to go
back to my old work to-day."

Poor little Harry! He stood forlornly in the middle of the empty room,
listening to the sound of the key turning in the lock, listening to
the sound of his aunt's retreating footsteps.

Then he thought of the happy Nursery where Maud and Baby had gone;
he thought of his place at the head of the long dinner-table that
somebody else would have this Monday, and he sat down in a heap on the
floor and cried.

Presently he got up and looked about for something to do. His dinner
stood on the table, and he thought he might as well eat it now, and
when that was disposed of, he strolled into the bedroom, and there
he spied the corner of the box that held his best frock, sticking out
from under the bed.

Now was his chance! He would have his own again, his br